Rotary lithographic printing machine



T. WALTON ROTARY LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet i Filed March 11 1924 Q? Mien pal- 1S T. WALTON ROTARY LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINE July 8 1924. 1,500,430

Filed March 11 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 8 1924. 1,500,430

v 'r. WALTON ROTARY LITHOGRAP'HIYC PRINTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 "r. WALTON ROTARY LITHoGhAPHIc' PRINTING maxim:

Filed March .11 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIIIII July 8 1924. I T. WALTON ROTARY LITHbGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 11 1924 Laval i51 Patented July 8, 1924.

} UNITED STATES THOMAS WALTON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ROTARY LIrHocRArHIc PRINTING MACHINE.

Application filed March 11,1924. Serial No. 698,498.

To all whom it may concern.-

" Be it known that I, THOMAS WALTON, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at St. Andrews Vicarage, Short Street, New Gut, Lambeth, London, S. E. 1, England, have. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary LithographicPrinting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary lithographic printing machines and has for its object'to simplify and cheapen the construction of such machines by eliminating a number of parts or accessories usually provided in conjunction with such machines for effecting the essential operations of damping, inking and printing, thus reducingthe cost of construction and contributing to the eflicient working of the machine by reducing the number of parts liable to wear or to become otherwise deranged or out of adjustment. I

A further advantageof 'my invention is that I am able to effect either offset or direct printing on the one machine, as will be described hereafter.

The invention consists in a rotary lithographic printing machine in which a single member is employed for damping and inking the printing cylinder.

The invention also consists in a rotary lithographic machine having a single member for damping and inking the printing cylinder and comprising also a surface which can act as an impression or offset surface according to whether the machine be for di rect or offset printing.

The invention also consists in other details and arrangements hereinafter described or indicated. 7 I

The accompanying drawings illustrate onemode of carrying out my invention Figures 1 and 1 show infront elevation one forin of machine in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a side sectional elevation;

Figures 3 to 6 are sections of the inking apparatus of Figure 1 Figures 7 to 9 are sections of various details; Y

' In' carrying my invention into efiect in' one convenientman'ner, Iprovide my im- Figures 10 and I 11 show in endviewproved rotary lithographic printing machine with any desired or convenientform of framework, bed-plate orfoundation a and at oneside of the machine I provide a receptable Z) for the printed matter as it 5 leaves the machine and on the other a housing or bracket 0 for the motor d or other prime mover by which the machine is driven. At the front of the machine I may also provide brackets'e for supporting the operators platform f. The framework also carries bearings g adapted vto support a shaft h on which I mount a drum-i, cylin-' der or other rotary member-of asize determined by the class of operations whichthe machine is to perform and adapted to be rotated by hand or by power-operated means, such as the motor 03, as may be most convenient. V

The rotary member may be solid or may be built up in sections, as shown, and is provided with a surface is formed of or having applied thereto rubber or other suitable segments or strips serving respectively as the damping surface, inking surface and ofiset printing surface (for offset printing) or impression bed (for direct printing), denoted respectively as to angular extent by the references A, A and A in Figures 1 and 1 and theexte'nt and location ofsuch surfaces being regulated in accordance with the practical requirements of the machine.

In conjunction with such rotary member I provide a water trough Z or other reservoir having a roller m, freely mounted therein and removable, and in conjunction with such roller I provide a second roller at carried upon a pivoted arm n and adapted to be actuated by a properly located cam 0 or projection upon the rotary memberso that at the appropriate moment the damping roller m will be brought into contact with the roller m in the water trough in orderto receive a supply of moisture and will then be made to contact with the damping segment on the. rotary member. By

meansof this damping segment the print? ing design: or forme cylinder p (Figures 1 and 8) is thoroughly damped before it is inked by the inking segment of the rotary member."

In the construction shown, the inking segment A is supplied with ink from. the ink? ing drum, 9 by the roller 9" on the pivoted arms moved or actuated by the cam t at the right moment during rotation of the rotary member to which it is suitably fixed in appropriate position.

The inking drum receives its ink supply through the distributor drum n (Figures 1 and 5) rotated by a positive drive a (Figure 1) from a countershaft a? supported in bearings a fixed to the frame, the countershaft running reversely iii-direction of rotation to the rotary member i and driven by two gears 10* from the motor, the drive from the countershaft consisting of chain and sprocket, suitable caring arrangements or frictional contact.

There is also provided an adjustable ink duct 1 (Figures 1 and 3) from which the inking roller 2 (Figures 1 and 6), mounted on pivoted arms 3, transfers the required amount of ink on to the distributor drum, the roller 2 being atintervals moved into contact with the ink duct roller 33 (Figure 3) by a cam 4 which is positively driven from the countershaft by suitable means.

On the periphery of the distributor drum u and in contact therewith are two small rollers 5 (Figures 1 and 5) which are oscillated by a cam action 6 (Figure 5) giving even distribution of ink on the distributor drum.

Furthermore, the duct roller 38 maybe adapted to rotate in a step-by-step manner, actuated by means of a pawl and ratchet 7 (Figures 1 and 3), power being exerted through the pawl which is fixed to the pivoted arm 3 taking movement from the duct cam 4..

I may also provide an alternative method of inking the rotary member, as illustrated in Figure 12; in this case the two small oscillating rollers or distributors 5 being positioned so that at certain periods they contact with the rotary member 2', such periods being governed by cam movement 8. The inking of the segment A (Figure 1 in this alternative method takes place through a series of rollers 91, 92 and 93 (Figure 12) from the ink duct 1, the rollers being of different diameters to give efficient breaking up of the ink before being applied to the segment.

In this alternative method the ink is supplied from the, ink duct roller by the roller 91 at set periods and actuated by cam action as before herein described.

The roller 92 then distributes the ink to the roller 93 and from this roller the inking segment of the rotary member receives its supply at an appropriate moment, governed by the cam X, the movement of the roller 93 by the cam X being round the pivot Y as a centre so that no break occurs in the contacting surfaces of the rollers 92 and 93.

The damping surface A and inking sur face A are employed for dampening and inking the cylinder 14 when this cylinder is used for direct printing in which case the offset cam 16 is rendered inoperative to permit the printing cylinder 14 to be dampened and inked.

The design or forms cylinder 39 (Figures 1 and 8) is constructed in the usual manner but with fine adjustment 10 (Figure 8) and rotated at a speed exactly in ratio with that of the rotary member by friction drive 11 (Figure 8) or other suitable means from the rotary member and governed for accurate location by registering means embodying hunting teeth 12 (Figures 10 and 11) which in each revolution engage'into gear blocks 13 (Figures 11 and 12) mounted on the side of the rotary member and made adjustable as by the use of screws 13 permitting of the blocks being fastened at various points on the periphery of the member as apparent.

WVhen themachine is to. be employed for offset printing the forme cylinder ,1? is adapted to print upon the segment A (Figures 1 and l) of the surface of the rotary member which then co-operates with an impression cylinder 14 (Figures 1 and 9) having fine adjustment 15 (Figure 9) and. caused to rotate by contact with the periphery of the rotary member at set periods, governed by action from the offset cam 16 (Figure 9) which is driven from the shaft it (Figure 2) and between the impression cylinder and the rotary member (Figures 1 and 2) the paper, sheet or other material to be printed on is fed by the feed roller 17 (Figures 1 and 7).

The feed roller is rotated by a suitable positive drive 18 (Figures 1 and 1*), from the countershaft a or other desirable means, the centre distances being adjustable with a governing jockey wheel (not shown) operating in a suit-able manner as that distance varies. The feed roller is timed to come into contact with the paper or the like for feeding in by the feed roller cam 19 (Figure 7) suitably driven from the centre shaft h. Furthermore, attached to the feed roller is a finger 20 (Figures 1 and 7) which has an up-anddown motion taken from the feed roller cam and which functions in-depressing the paper stop 21 (Figure 1) at a givenmoment relative to the feed of the paper or the like material to be printed or, if desired, any known practical form of paper feed can be substituted for that shown. For direct printing, the impression cylinder 14; is .replaced in position bythe forme cylinder'p, the two being interchangeable and. in this case the segment A of the surface of the rotary member acts as an impression bedbetween which and the forms cylinder the paper or the like material to be printed is fed as hereinbefore described.

If desired, Imay employ both a direct and an impression: printing cylinder or member in conjunctionwith the rotary mem so that both sides of a paper or otherber sheet or strip may be printed upon simultaneously. For example, in the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 1 both 3) and 14 are printing cylinders. 39 may be made to print upon the offset surface of the rotary member which will then print on one side of the paper which is fed between the rotary member and the cylinder 14 and the latter in this case being a printing cylinder would at the same time print upon the other side of the paper. Each of the cylinders may be controlled by an eccentric or other means so that the one not for the moment required may be put out ofoperation.

It will be understood that the invention essentially consists in the provision of a single member for effecting the damping and inking of the design member and to act as an impression or offset surface and the invention is, therefore, not to be confined to any particular details of construction or arrangement of the various parts to be used in conjunction with such member, as it will be obvious that I may modify the means adopted for supplying moisture and ink to the damping and inking member as also the arrangements for feeding and registering the paper or other material, as may be found most suited to the class of printing which the machine is to effect or any practical requirements which the invention may be called on to fulfill.

I claim 1. A rotary lithographic printing machine comprising a printing cylinder and a single member for damping and inking the printing cylinder.

2. A rotary lithographic printing machine comprising a printing cylinder, a single member for damping and inking the printing cylinder and also having a surface which can act as an impression or offset surface according to whether the machine be for direct or offset printing.

3. A rotary lithographic printing machine according to claim 2, adapted for either direct or offset printing or for both simultaneously.

at. A rotary lithographic printing machine according to claim 2, wherein there is provided a form cylinder and an impression cylinder which are interchangeable in position according as the machine is to be used for direct or offset printing.

5. A rotary lithographic printing machine comprising in combination a printing cylinder, arotary member having three segments of its surface for damping and inking the printing cylinder and to act as an impression or ofi'set surface respectively and controlled means for inking the inking segment.

6. A rotary lithographic printing machine comprising in combination a printing cylinder, a rotary member having three segments of its surface for damping and inking the printing cylinder and to act as an impression or offset surface respectively and controlled means for damping the damping segment.

7. A rotary lithographic printing machine comprisingin combination a printing cylinder, a rotary member having three segments of its surface for damping, inking and printing respectively, and controlled means for feeding the paper or like material to be printed upon between the printing cylinder and the printing segment.

8. A rotary lithographic printing machine comprising in combination, a printing cylinder, a rotary member having three segments of its surface for damping, inking and printing, controlled means for inking the inking segment, controlled means for damping the damping segment, and controlled means for feeding the paper to be printed upon between the printing cylinder and the printing segment.

9. A rotary lithographic printing machine according to claim 8, wherein a single prime mover is employed for operating all of the driven mechanisms.

10. A rotary lithographic printing machine comprising a printing cylinder, a

single member fordamping and inking the printing cylinder and also having a surface whlch can act as an lmpression or ofi'set surface according to whether the machme be used for direct or offset printing, a form cylinder, an impression cylinder interchangeable in respect to the form cylinder into a position according to whether the machine is to be used for director offset printing, and fine adjustments provided for the form and impression cylinders, substantially'as and for the purposes set forth.

11. A rotary lithographic printing machine according to claim 10 wherein coacting registering means is provided on the peripheries of the cylinder and the rotary member for insuring accurate location of the parts with respect to each other.

12. A rotary lithographic printing ma-- chine comprising in combination a printing cylinder, a rotary member having three segments of its: surface for damping, inking and taking the design from the printing cylinder respectively, an impression cylinder and controlled means for feeding the paper or like material between the impression cylinder and the design receiving segment respectively.

13. A rotary lithographic printing machine according to claim 12, wherein cams driven with the rotary member are provided for controlling the inking and damping means for. the rotary member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS WALTON. 

